PlayStation 5 users might have a big new game to look forward to this week. The reviews are in for a PS5 console exclusive dropping on August 19th, and everything shared so far sounds very promising. The game in question is Sword of the Sea, and it seems reviewers are very impressed with the latest from developer Giant Squid. As of this writing, the game is currently sitting at a Metacritic score of 89, with 14 critics having weighed in so far. It remains to be seen what the game’s user reviews will be, but it’s a very good sign.
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Sword of the Sea is the latest from developer Giant Squid. Prior to the game, Giant Squid worked on Abzu and The Pathless. If these reviews hold, this will be the highest Metacritic score we’ve seen for a game from the studio; Abzu currently has a score of 78, while The Pathless has a 77. It’s worth noting that both of those games were released on Nintendo and Xbox platforms. It’s possible the same could happen with Sword of the Sea, but for right now it has only been announced for PS5 and Steam. A trailer for the game can be found below.
The whole concept of Sword of the Sea centers around the player riding on an item called a “hoversword.” As its name implies, the hoversword is basically a sword that hovers above the ground as the player navigates the game’s world. The world’s oceans have dried up, leaving a place desolate and covered in sand. As the player explores the world, they’ll bring the water back to various locations, unlocking new areas to explore. The hoversword draws inspiration from the movements of skateboards, surfboards, and snowboards, all combined into one.
If there’s one negative that players should keep in mind, it’s the fact that Sword of the Sea appears to be a pretty short experience; reviewers have noted that the game can be completed in about three hours. Of course, there’s long been a debate about how important a game’s length really is, and there are a lot of players that don’t mind shorter experiences, especially when the journey proves worthwhile. In fact, ComicBook’s own Michael Leri had very positive things to say about the game, offering a score of 4 out of 5.
Hard as it is to believe, 2025 is well over halfway over. Before we know it, the holiday season will be approaching, and it will be time to start looking at the Game of the Year nominees. It’s a little too early to say whether Sword of the Sea will receive any nominations, but with reviews so positive this early, it seems like a good possibility. At the very least, everything shown so far suggests we could see some award nominations for the game’s audio and presentation.
Are you looking forward to Sword of the Sea? Have you played any of the other games released by Giant Squid? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
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Courtesy of Toei Animation
